Charlotte
by gusenitsa
Summary: "How do you think things would have been different if (Killian) and Milah had had a child?" Part 1 will take us all the way to Neverland. (yes, still) part 2 will be in Neverland and part 3 will likely take us to storybrooke (yes YES, still!) CS eventually, but most of this story does take place long before Emma is born and focuses on Killian. (2/3?)
1. Chapter 1

_**Prompt: "How do you think things would have been different if (Killian) and Milah had had a child?"**_

* * *

 _ **Charlotte (Part 1 / 2?)**_

It wasn't like the first time.

When Milah learned she was carrying Baelfire it was a time of hope and limitless possibilities. This time… they'd talked about it and Killian had accepted her decision. It was too risky. She couldn't bring a child into the world when some magic she didn't understand and hadn't agreed to might bind the child to slavery.

But here she was, despite all their best precautions.

She wished she could feel pure joy, wished she could draw a little girl with her curls and her father's eyes. Wished all she had to fear was how rough seas might exacerbate her nausea. _An infant on a pirate ship? It was absurd, even Bae-_ Her heart clenched at the thought of her first child, still so young. Still too young for the life they had chosen?

She didn't tell Killian.

He knew something was wrong, asked her to trust him and she _did._ She did trust him, but she could barely handle her own emotions, she wasn't sure she could handle seeing his eyes light up before he remembered. That look of worry that would settle onto his face, the way his eyes would go distant as he tried to find a way out. A way to protect their child from an enemy they couldn't see.

It took him nearly two weeks after she figured it out before he finally cornered her in their cabin. She'd been avoiding him, quite the feat when you're on a ship and the man you are trying to avoid is also your captain.

"Milah, _please_ talk to me-"

"I can't-" she didn't quite meet his eyes and tried to leave, tried to escape before he saw. She'd nearly made it out of the cabin before he spoke, a note of desperation in his voice.

"We will find a way to protect the child." She froze, closing her eyes, and heard quiet steps as he came up behind her. She turned, burying her head into his chest the tears finally falling.

"How did you-" she started but shook her head. Of course he noticed. His arms tightened around her. "What if we can't? What if someone steals her from us." She hadn't noticed until that moment but was suddenly certain that it would be a little girl and he didn't question her.

"Then they will learn it is unwise to steal from a pirate."

"So we just wait?" she knew she sounded panicked but now that he knew the emotions she'd been bottling up exploded to the surface. " Do we just wait for someone to come and-"

"Shhh, Milah, love, we will not just wait. And tomorrow we will discuss the logistics at length. But tonight-" he pulled away just enough to kiss her softly. "I know it's not what we planned but, Milah are you… are you happy?" There was a nervousness in his eyes and she smiled in spite of herself.

"I'm scared, Killian. But yes, yes I'm happy too."

* * *

Returning to her small port again after all these years was surreal. She didn't think it was possible but somehow it seemed even smaller. She leaned against his desk with her arms folded glaring at him as he belted his scabbard around his waist.

"We agreed to this days ago, love," he told her, not needing to look up to feel the heat of her glare.

"I've changed my mind," Milah snapped, "You can't go alone. They say he's a healer but what kind of a healer deals in _children."_

"All the more reason for you to stay here. We do not know what magic he possesses, if any. What if he has a way of knowing you are with child? He may consider the child his due already. Promise me, love? That you will not seek out the healer? Give me one day. One day to find out the terms of that deal. To determine the situation, remedy it if I can."

She nodded glumly and he took her hand, pulling her closer, "I love you."

"I love you too, Killian. Please be careful."

"Always."

* * *

It was nearly nightfall before Killian found Fendrake. The man lived in a tent which was inconveniently mobile. He just seems to find you, was all anyone could say when he told them he sought the healer.

When he stepped inside the man looked unsurprised as though he'd been waiting.

"You made a deal with a man named Rumplestiltskin," Killian said, he hooked his thump through his belt loop, close enough to his blade need he draw it but with a facade of calmness.

"I did."

"I wish to know the terms of that arrangement."

"And why should I yield such information to you."

"Because you do not want me for an enemy," Killian replied tersely.

"Perhaps not," Fendrake smiled though and did not look worried in the slightest. A document appeared in his hand and the man looked it over. "What is it you want to know pirate?"

"What did he promise you?"

"A child. His second born child."

" _His_ second born child?"

"Indeed, am I to understand congratulations are in order?"

"He has no second born child."

Fendrake sighed, "usually I don't have to bother reminding people that this is a binding contract until there is a second child," he grumbled irritably and the document vanished. Killian turned to go and Fendrake spoke from behind him. "Ah, he doesn't... But _she_ will."

Killian turned slowly, his face a mask.

"I'll admit, it would be a stretch but deals can be funny things. Interpretation is everything. Let's talk, pirate, perhaps _we_ can make a deal. To ensure my interpretation is to your liking." Killian smirked, he knew a blackmailer when he saw one.

"What is it you want, _healer?"_

" _Your_ second born, of course. Your second born to ensure the safety of your first. I mean you may never have another child, so it's really-"

Killian moved so fast that the man didn't finish his sentence, letting out a small choking sound as Killian's blade flew, impaling the man through the heart. The man sagged and Killian pulled free the blade.

"Goodbye, _healer."_ Fendrake collapsed, eyes wide and staring. Killian cleaned the blood from his blade with the sleeve of the dead man's tunic and sheathed it, leaving the tent without looking back.

When he got back to the Jolly Roger he found preparations to make sail underway, Milah hurried to meet him at the gangplank, her eyes flicking over him to ensure he was unscathed.

"Well?" she asked worriedly.

"It is done. The man told me that it is _Rumplestiltskin's_ second child who is promised." Milah sagged in relief. "Then he told me it was a matter of interpretation and tried to interest me in the same deal. My second-born for my first."

"Killian, tell me you didn't-"

Killian shook his head. "He will be making no more deals." He glanced around at the men preparing to make sail and looked back at her with eyebrows raised. "What is this, Milah, I thought you'd want to stay. To go see your lad?"

"I did," she admitted.

"You… did?" Killian's face was confusion for a few seconds before his eyes widened. "The boy is below isn't he?" Milah nodded. "Your husband… let him go?"

"Not exactly. But I told him that this was best for everyone. What is _he_ going to do if the soldiers come to take him away in a few years? _Beg_ for mercy? I told him if he wished me to stop he'd have to make me stop. He didn't."

Killian nodded, "and the preparations?"

"Just in case. He's not… well liked and he won't fight his own battles so…" she shrugged. "Killian would you like to meet him?"

"Very much. What have you told him, about his father?"

"Not much. That his father loves him, but he can't protect him from the ogres on land, so we're going on an adventure at sea."

Killian nodded and Milah led him to their cabin. Bae was by the window when they came down looking over the water towards the port. He looked nervous but he smiled when he saw Milah.

"Are you sure Papa cannot come on an adventure with us?"

"No, my sweet boy. But we'll have fun won't we, you won't believe all the amazing things I'm going to show you." She ruffled his hair affectionately and he smiled. "I'd like you to meet someone, Bae," she looked over towards Killian who stepped forward now. "This is Killian, he's the captain of this beautiful ship."

"Welcome aboard the Jolly Roger, my boy."

* * *

They'd planned on being back in port by the time their child was born but the storm had raged for the better part of a week, blowing them off course and with only storm sails, their progress slowed to a crawl.

It would have been fine. If their child ( _daughter_ , Milah insisted,) hadn't decided she'd had quite enough of her sheltered life. She came several weeks earlier than they were expecting her and really he should have known Milah's daughter would be as eager to see the world as her mother.

But bloody hell _now?_ The storm had been raging for days and everyone was exhausted. And to make it worse the midwife who had been sailing with them for the past month was seasick thanks to the storm. Killian slipped into the cabin, shaking wet hair from his eyes. The cabin pitched and there was a groan of discomfort from the midwife. She still looked a little green but she seemed better than she had been this morning thanks to her near constant nursing of ginger tea in his borrowed flask.

"I'm sorry, love," he said taking Milah's hand, "we should have been in port weeks ago in case-"

"You should be topside-" Milah hissed, squeezing his hand tight. The ship pitched again and he tightened his grip on the cot to stay upright.

"Aye love, I just wanted to see you."

The contractions would return soon, she'd been counting in her head and Killian had picked the _worst_ time for a visit. "Killian, I love you-" Milah started.

"I love you t-"

"But if you do not get out of this cabin within the next 45 seconds I might just rip your spine out through your throat, understand?"

He kissed her hand, "Understood."

"Captain-" the midwife called as he made for the ladder. "Some fresh water and maybe some more ginger tea?" she asked and Killian nodded.

"I'll send someone with both. Anything else?"

"It would be pretty helpful if you could keep the ship steady-" she grumbled under her breath.

"I'll do my best, love," Killian replied.

The storm raged for three hours longer before finally beginning to calm and Killian almost wished it hadn't. Without the sound of wind and rain he could hear Milah's cries from the cabin and it broke his heart.

He hurried below to the hold to check on Bae. The boy had gotten his sea legs quickly after a rocky start the first few weeks and now he could sleep through near any storm. But not, apparently, through the muffled sounds of his mother's cries.

"Is she going to be okay?" Baelfire asked the second Killian opened the door to the hold.

"Aye, lad," Killian assured him, "she'll be alright" Baelfire dove forward into his arms and Killian stiffened at first, unaccustomed to such affection from the boy.

Things were not smooth between them at first, it was difficult for the boy not to feel like Killian was trying to replace his father when they had to explain to him that he was going to have a younger sibling.

Killian rubbed his back calmingly. "She's going to be just fine," he repeated, hoping desperately the nervousness didn't creep into his voice.

* * *

Their daughter comes screaming into the world and into the first sunlight the crew had seen in a week. Some of the more superstitious of the lot spin tales already, already wrapped around the finger of the child who calms the storm.

Killian is not particularly superstitious compared to some of the men, but the moment he sees his daughter wrapped up in her mother's arms something in him shifts, a subtle thing that he doesn't fully understand until later. He presses a kiss to the top of Milah's head.

"I was right," Milah teased lightly, " _she's_ beautiful isn't she?"

"Like her mother. What's her name?" They had talked about names for her a few times but he left the final choice to Milah in this moment. After all, it's bad luck to name the babe before she arrives… (perhaps Killian is a _little_ superstitious.)

"Charlotte," Milah said quietly.

* * *

Milah had been worried about having a child so young aboard a ship but Charlotte had never known anything else. She was not prone to fitfulness but the first time they took her on land she screamed like a banshee until her mother relented and took her back to the gentle rocking of the ship at harbor.

"Just like her mother," Killian teased when Charlotte relaxed, calmed by the familiar movement under their feet.

She'd gotten her father's eyes, to Milah's delight and though her hair curled like her mother's it was lighter and sun streaked. She thought it odd at first and asked Killian about it. He smiled and tousled her hair affectionately. It was the same color as Liam's had been.

Bae adored his baby sister. Watching them together, Killian couldn't help but think it was Bae who reminded him of Liam, even more than the girl with her uncle's curls. Bae was quickly developing a protectiveness of the little girl that reminded him so much of his own brother it made his heart clench.

By the time Charlotte is six years old she's the apple of not only her family's eye but of the entire crew.

There are men in Killian's crew who would gut a man as soon as look at them but they are all politeness when they finally receive their invitation to the little pirate princess' weekly tea party.

Killian is half buried in a chart, his attention split between checking Bae's calculations and his little girl, who is currently reminding "Mr. Donovan" not to put the teacup down too hard or he might break it.

"Oh, right, of course," Donovan says apologetically and is rewarded with a bright smile.

"Thank yooooou!"

He glances up again when she she gasps in dismay and she is staring intensely across the table.

"Mr. Jacobson!" she chided, "That was the _salt_ you just put in your tea!"

He struggles to bite back a smile and glances across the desk towards Bae who is not even bothering to hide his adoring smile. He's 14 now and starting to take on more duties around the ship starting with this. Navigation is not his favorite subject but when he puts his mind to it he does quite well.

"Well done, mate," Killian affirms when he finishes looking over the boy's work, Bae nearly glows with pride and Killian ruffles his hair affectionately, "we'll make a navigator of you yet!"

There is the sound of a scuffle from above and Killian tenses. The hatch opens and a man calls down.

"Unfriendly company captain-"

Killian shoots to his feet and looks at Bae, "stay here, watch after you sister."

Bae nods and Killian glances at the men who had been having tea with Charlotte, he jerks his head at them and they follow him topside.

Milah is talking to a man with his back to the when Killian gets onto the deck but he can read it in her posture, she's _afraid._ He hurries to her side and when he looks up at the man his blood runs cold too.

"Rumplestiltskin-" he says quietly and the man giggled.

"It's always nice to make an impression. You may have heard of me under a different name now, pirate. The dark one. Oh! I see my reputation precedes me."

Killian stiffened but Rumple continued. "Do you know what it's like to have your wife stolen from you? To feel powerless to stop it? It feels like having your heart ripped from your chest. Actually, let me show you." He reaches out and shoves his hand into Killian's chest. Killian doubled over with a hiss of pain. .

"No!" Milah cried, stepping forward. "Please don't hurt him."

"And now you beg for the life of your true love, the pirate. I didn't realize the power of true love before. It is impressive. I'd hate to break it up. Actually, no. I'd love to," he squeezed Killian's heart for emphasis and Killian fell to his knees with a groan of agony.

"It's not him you're angry with Rumple."

Rumplestiltskin chuckled and released Killian's heart. "I assure you I can be angry with more than one person at a time. But you're right… priorities. Do you know what it was like walking home that night…"

"Rumple…"

"Knowing I had to tell our son…"

"Please."

"that his mother was dead?"

"I was wrong to lie to you. I was the coward. I knew that."

"But that wasn't enough for you. You came back. You _stole_ my son.I _want_ my son."

"He's not here," Killian broke in quickly. "A seafaring life was too dangerous for a boy so young."

Milah nodded, latching onto the tale, "We asked a fairy to take him somewhere safe, to a realm far from the ogre war. Somewhere he'd be safe until he was old enough."

"You told me I couldn't keep him safe," Rumple hissed at Milah, "and then you send him off with some _fairy_."

"We just wanted to keep him safe-" Milah said carefully.

"Oh did _we?"_ He glances at Killian with unconcealed disgust. "We could have kept our boy safe, together," Rumple hissed, "but you tore our family apart."

"Our _family_ was a miserable prison," Milah snapped, anger and desperation rising in her voice.

"Why were you so miserable?" the dark one sneered.

"Because I never loved you!"

In an instant Rumplestiltskin's hand is in her chest emerging with a glowing red heart. "Milah! No!" Killian charged towards Rumplestiltskin but is shoved backwards by an invisible hand. Ropes snake around him and he struggled against them, finally managing to free himself. He catches her as she falls and cradles her gently. She reaches for him, her fingers a gentle pressure on his cheeks. There are a thousand words in her eyes, sorrow, worry, fear, an apology. They are all left unspoken save one.

"I love you."

Rumplestiltskin's hand clenches and Milah stiffens for a moment before relaxing in his arms.

"No-" he mumbles. He lowers Milah gently to the deck, his hand brushing gently along her cheek for a moment before turning enraged eyes on Rumplestiltskin. "You may be more powerful now, demon, but you're no less a coward."

"I'll have what I came for now," Rumplestiltskin sneered. "You see, I think you're lying. I think you _do_ know where my son is. I think you're going to tell me where he is-"

"You'll have to kill me," Killian spits, reaching for his sword.

"Ah, ah ah-" In a moment of agony fire explodes up his arm and he collapses in pain his left hand and a growing pool of blood on the deck. "Not until you tell me what I want to know-" Killian grabs a hook, driving it into Rumplestiltskin's chest but Rumplestiltskin just giggles.

"Killing me is gonna take a lot more than that, dearie."

"Even demons can be killed. I will find a way," Killian growled.

Rumplestiltskin raised a blade to his chest, settling the point above Killian's heart. "And how will you do _that_ if you're dead? Tell me what I want to know, pirate, and maybe I'll let you live long enough to _try_ to kill me. Otherwise this is just going to get really messy."

Killian hisses in pain as Rumplestiltskin leans forward, the point digging into his chest above his heart but unable to back away, held in place by some magic.

"NO!"

Killian's eyes widen in shock as Bae's voice echoes across the deck.

The magic releases him and he falls, his head spinning from pain and blood loss. In a moment Bae is in front of him, standing head held high between the dark one and Killian.

"Bae-" the dark one says quietly, his eyes softening slightly.

"You like deals," Bae said, only the slightest tremor in his voice. "Here is my offer. I will come with you, you will leave Killian and this ship alone. You will not harm him or anyone else aboard."

"Baelfire, no-" Killian murmured in horror.

The dark one looked genuinely perplexed for a moment. "Bae, don't you _want_ to come home?"

 _Home?_ Baelfire's eyes slipped to where his mother lay on the deck and he fought the tears that threatened to come.

"That is the deal," Baelfire said. "You can take me by force, you can kill Killian and sink this ship but if you do I will run. Any and every chance I _will_ run."

The Dark One nodded and Baelfire turned, kneeling next to where Killian had fallen leaning close. Killian wrapped his good arm around him, his embrace too tight, as though he could stop this just by holding on tight enough.

"I'm sorry, papa," he whispered in Killian's ear, too quietly for the dark one to overhear. "Take care of Charlotte."

And then Bae was gone and Killian fell forward, the place he had been only a wispy smoke remained.

For a moment no one moves then he shifts closer to Milah his remaining hand reaching for her as for a port in the storm. She's gone. Bae's gone and Charlotte- A sudden bolt of panic strikes through him and he's on his feet again. His mind has gone fuzzy from the pain and grief and loss of blood but he makes for the cabin anyway, the last place he saw her. He stumbles below, horrified that at any moment he'll find her beyond his reach like her brother, or worse... still and broken like her mother

The cabin is empty, the table still set for her afternoon tea party but she's gone. Half delirious with pain and grief he sinks to his knees.

 _Gone. They're all gone._

A hatch opens and Charlotte comes flying out and into his arms, he clings to her tightly, terrified she'll vanish if he lets go.

"I'm sorry papa, I know the rule, Bae told me not to come out until I hear the safety word but-"

He just holds her tighter, not trusting his voice.

Later he'll regret it, letting her see him like that, bleeding and terrified, but at this moment he can't do anything but cling to her. Darkness is creeping into the edge of his vision and he can feel the blood seeping into his clothes from his left arm, still hidden under his coat from Charlotte's view. She knows he's hurt, and he can see the tears slipping down her face. Doubtless she can smell the blood, see it seeping through, probably she can feel him shaking but he keeps his arm hidden beneath his coat, he can't stand the idea of her seeing _that._

He wants to say something, to tell her he loves her but the words get caught in his throat. With the state he's in, he knows he's got about even odds of closing his eyes and not opening them again. She'd be alone and unprotected and his last words to her will break her heart just as Milah's had broken his.

Finally he lets the doctor pull him away from his daughter. Some part of him wants to try to protect her by letting the crew take her away, but he knows that's not the kind of protection she needs right now.

"I need you to do something for me, little love," he says gently. His voice comes out gruff and weaker than he'd like but she nods immediately, her face tear-streaked and determined. "Close your eyes." She obeys and he pulls her close again. "Don't look, alright, can you promise?"

"I promise, papa," she nods, eyes still closed. She buries her head into his shoulder and he finally takes his arm from beneath his coat, the sight nearly making him nauseous. He looks away, focusing on his daughter's curls as they tie leather straps around the stump to slow the bleeding.

At first he thought he was being strong for her when he choked back his cries of agony, but she clings to his good hand and whispers that she loves him into his chest and he realizes that she's the strong one. Just like her mum.

The bleeding stops eventually and the wound is cleaned and wrapped. He's feverish and woozy and there are times when the pain and the grief tempt him to despair, but he feels her hand in his and decides right then and there that he is a survivor. He _refuses_ to leave her alone.

* * *

He heals, or part of him does. The brace and hook cover the missing piece of his body an icy chilliness covers the missing piece of his heart. Or tries. But for Charlotte he had no doubt he'd had spiraled into the abyss long ago. But the darkness never truly takes hold in his heart, thanks to his one little light, his beautiful daughter with her uncle's hair.

But Bae… Killian wants to keep Charlotte safe, keep her away from that monster. But Bae- He could not have loved that boy more if he were his own flesh and blood. Thinking of Bae trapped with the man who stole his mother right in front of his eyes makes him sick.

He seeks out the dark one, tracks the dark one's movements, follows him from port to port. Always careful to keep Charlotte out of sight but desperate for a chance to save his boy.

Killian caught up once, saw him through the crowd, tagging behind Rumplestiltskin with his eyes on the ground. The Dark One kept him physically safe, destroyed any that should even accidentally harm the boy in the most vicious of ways. But Killian cringed to see the bright eyed boy he loved so well with his eyes locked on the ground in front of him.

Killian tracked them through the crowds all day, waiting for his chance and it finally came when Bae waited outside as the Dark One finally went into a tavern to broker a deal. Killian slipped his hand over the boy's mouth and pulled him out of sight into an alley. Baelfire struggled viciously but Killian was too strong, when they'd put some distance between themselves and the busy street Killian finally relaxed.

"Be quiet, Bae, I mean you no harm," Baelfire stilled instantly at the familiar voice and Killian took his hand away from his mouth.

"Killian?" he whispered.

"Aye, lad," Bae spun around and launched himself at Killian who closed his arms around him tightly.

"You shouldn't be here," Bae mumbled into Killian's chest, "if he sees you-"

"He won't see me," Killian assures him. "The man inside, talking to the crocodile, It's Donovan. He'll keep him busy. Sadly they will be unable to come to terms in the end but he'll be busy for a while."

"Charlotte?"

"Misses her brother."

"I miss her too,' Bae said quietly.

"Say the word Bae, and I'll take you away, we'll run."

Bae shook his head, looking so much older than his 15 years in that moment. "He'll find us. If I break my deal, he'll break his. His magic…"

"I will find a way, Baelfire," Killian insisted. "We _will_ be a family again. Do you believe me?"

Bae nodded. "There's a dagger," he said quietly. "It's the only weapon that can hurt him." He dug into his jacket and Killian saw a small secret pocket sewn into the lining. His mother's stitchwork. He pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Killian.

"How did you know to carry it today?" Killian asked, the paper disappearing into Killian's own jacket.

"I've carried it every day since I found out. I knew you'd find me eventually." Bae shrugged, "I have to get back. He has a way of knowing when someone isn't serious about a deal. Donovan may be the best poker player on the _Jolly_ but it won't take long for him to be found out."

"We're not giving up on you Bae, we're tracking his movements," Killian said quickly.

Bae nodded, a small smile flickering onto his lips for a moment and he hugged Killian once more. "Love you," he murmured.

"I love you too, lad. Keep your chin up, we're always nearby."

"Tell Charlotte I love her too?"

"Of course."

Bae nodded and scampered back out towards the street. Killian leaned back against the wall. His nails dug into his palm. Every instinct told him to follow, to get him back, damn the consequences. But _damn the consequences_ was an almost certain path to his own death and more importantly, Charlotte's.

He dug into his pocket and pulled out the scrap of paper. On it was drawn a dagger impaling a human heart, clearly drawn in Baelfire's own hand. He stared at the drawing for a few moments before putting it back in his pocket.

He had a stop to make on the way home.

When he returned to the Jolly Roger his forearm was carefully wrapped. Under the bandage Baelfire's drawing was faithfully inked into his skin with only one addition of his own. Her name, a permanent reminder of what he had lost, (and what he still had to lose.)

* * *

Killian seethed silently, pacing back and forth along the deck. He'd come topside to try to keep from waking Charlotte.

It had been months since they'd learned that Rumplestiltskin had let Baelfire fall into a portal. As much as he hated that Baelfire was now alone in some unknown world without magic, he'd realized this was perhaps the best chance he'd have. If he could get there before the crocodile… Rumplestiltskin could not hurt them in a world without magic. That was a place where Killian could truly protect them.

But crossing realms was not easy under the best of circumstances and- he paused his hand going to his blade as a bright light began to move towards the ship. By the time the light reached the deck of his ship his blade was leveled at a woman in blue who dusted herself off and looked up at him.

"I mean you no harm, Killian," she said, hands raised. "I'm here to help. I've heard your wish. And I mean to right a mistake that I made."

"Who are you."  
"You can call me blue," the woman said, inclining her head slightly when Killian sheathed his blade.

"What mistake?"

"I heard Baelfire's wish too. Gave him a magical object that would help him reach a world without magic. He meant to take his father-"

"The dark one is _not_ his father," Killian hissed.

Blue nodded, her expression conciliatory. "He meant to take the dark one there, where he couldn't hurt anyone else. I tried to help him but in the end he passed through the portal alone.

"You created that portal?" Killian asked, voice tight with anger.

"Not precisely. But I have something which can create another. You can follow h-"

"And you're offering this now? It has been _months."_

"The magic I offer is not easy to find even for one such as me, you know this."

"And what price will you extract for this magic?" Killian asked suspiciously.

"The journey is its own price. I have only one magic bean, your path home will likely be most arduous. And the land Baelfire has been taken to is a dangerous place filled with dark magic. A place called Neverland."

Killian's blood ran cold, "Baelfire is in _Neverland?"_ Killian hissed, voice tight with horror.

"You've been there?" Killian nodded tersely. "Then you know what dangers lie in that place."

"Then I must hurry."

The blue fairy reached out a small glowing bean in her hand. "Once the portal opens you need only think of the place you wish to find and you will be there. Good luck, Captain."

Then Blue was gone and Killian closed his hand around the bean.

 _Neverland_. The one place he never wanted to set foot in again, was now the one place he desperately needed to go.

"To Neverland."

* * *

 _ **Off to Never-never-land!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Prompt: "How do you think things would have been different if (Killian) and Milah had had a child?"**_

* * *

 ** _Charlotte (Part 2 / 3?)_**

 _(Yes this is going to be one of those fics... where the author can't decide how long it's going to be until it's over... sorry!)_

Baelfire didn't know where he was being taken, only that if the stories were true he didn't want to meet the one that controlled this creature, this shadow. But it was a long way down. Were there mermaids below? Sirens? He could see the island in the distance and below… He blinked repeatedly trying to determine if the wind in his eyes had deceived him. No… he'd know that ship anywhere.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out the matches he's pilfered from the Darlings and struck one. The light flared briefly and the shadow retreated. His stomach flew up into his throat and he was falling. He screwed his eyes shut as the water came closer.

 _This is going to hurt._

* * *

Killian hesitated only long enough to gather the supplies they need. He told the crew of their destination and all but one man chooses to make the journey with him. The man they would leave behind left a sweetheart on shore. Forever wasn't a risk he could take.

Some small part of him wished he could leave Charlotte behind. Taking her to Neverland was the stuff of nightmares. But he couldn't protect her if she wasn't with him, and the possibility that he would be trapped, that she would grow up without her family, perhaps even die before he could find a way out? It was too great a risk.

When they splash down in the familiar waters a knot takes up residence in his chest that will not loosen for centuries, though he doesn't know it at the time. It's darker than he remembers, more ominous somehow and Killian wondered if something in the place had shifted or if it was in himself. The last time he'd been here he was following his captain on a hero's journey. Neverland had taken it all from him. His captain, his brother, their heroes journey. And now it wanted more.

He had no way to escape Neverland, only knew that he needed to find Baelfire. If he could just keep them together, maybe he'd be able to keep them _safe._ A splash from port side caught his attention and then a cry of "man overboard." His eyes flicked to Charlotte first but she was safe. Charlotte ran to the side of the ship.

"There's someone in the water!" she called, pointing out over the water with a bouncing eagerness. Killian pulled Charlotte back from the side of the ship.

"Out of sight, love, like you promised, aye?" It wasn't until Charlotte was safely away from the edge of the ship that he finally looked out over the water. A boy was floating in the water and Killian's stomach clenched.

"No-" It could be a lost boy, he told himself, but a growing panic told him that he was the proper build for Bae, the last time he'd seen him. Killian shed his coat and handed it to Charlotte, "Stay away from the side," he warned her, knowing she was likely to ignore him.

He dove over the edge of the ship without further hesitation reaching the boy quickly in the calm seas. Up close there was no question. It _was_ Baelfire. He pulled the boy close, locking him to his right side to keep his head above the water as he tread water. The _Jolly Roger_ was coming about and finally a rope reached them, thrown from the approaching vessel. Someone aboard the vessel had the good sense to remember to tie a loop in the end and he slipped his hook through tightening his grip on Bae as his crew tugged them both aboard.

"Get the doctor," Killian called, lowering Bae to the deck gently. "Come on, lad…" A shudder ripped through Bae's frame and wracking coughs seized him for a moment. Killian slipped behind the boy, supporting him and rubbing his back gently as he coughed. "Out with it, then, that's a good lad-" Finally Bae's coughs faded and he fell back into Killian's arms, exhausted. When he opened his eyes it was Charlotte's face that swam into view. She had waited patiently for him to stop coughing but now she couldn't wait a second longer, tackling Bae in a desperate hug. He closed his arms around her tightly.

"I missed you-" he croaked, voice rough from the coughing.

"I missed you more," Charlotte challenged.

"Where's Killian?" Charlotte laughed and glanced behind him. Bae looked up, finally noticing that it was not actually a hard deck behind his back and Killian smiled down at him, relief in his eyes.

"I saw the ship," Bae stammered, "I thought… I hoped-"

"That's my brave lad," Killian said, brushing damp hair from his face. "Welcome home, Bae."

* * *

Bae learned quickly to grab his little sister's hand and drag her into the smuggler's hold at the first sign of trouble and for weeks they manage to avoid Pan's attention. The lost boys search the ship every few days but they don't know the secret places of this ship the way Baelfire and Charlotte do.

Until one day they aren't fast enough.

Pan himself landed on the deck of the ship without warning his smile sickly sweet and taunting.

"Why Captain, where are your manners? I haven't been properly introduced to your lost ones?" Bae stepped forward, ushering Charlotte behind him as Killian glares at Pan.

"They are _not_ lost."

Pan turned towards Bae and raised his eyebrows at Bae's protective stance. "You're not the one I'm looking for are you… pity." Pan turned back to Killian. "Did my boys not warn you what would happen if you lied to me?"

"Not specifically. I gather it hurts." Killian raised his eyebrows and smirked, hoping to keep Pan's attention on himself. Pan had placed himself between Killian and Bae who was doing his best to shield his little sister from the demon's gaze.

"Oh it does," Pan smiled, "but I think you can be useful to me Captain. Properly motivated… And I think I have a better idea." He snapped his fingers and Charlotte collapsed limp to the deck. For a moment Killian is frozen in horror, unable to move, unable to _breathe._

 _How?_

 _Dreamshade,_ his panicking mind supplied.

"Charlotte?" Baelfire spun and dropped to the deck beside her, pressing his fingers to her neck and looking up at Killian in confusion. "Just sleeping-" Killian's relief is short lived when Pan laughs.

"Not exactly, lost boy, It's a stasis spell. She'll think it was no more than a refreshing nap… _if_ I choose to wake her."

"What do you want, Pan?" Killian asked, voice tight with a fear he couldn't quite hide.

"I need an emissary," Pan said. " Someone to bring supplies to the island. And I need to ensure that my emissary returns." With another snap of his fingers Charlotte vanished. "Do as you are told Captain and when you return, I will wake dear Charlotte. Just for a little while. Be obedient and you can spend an afternoon with her, occasionally. Disobey me and she will sleep away the centuries, and _never_ see your face again. Do we have a deal?"

"This isn't a deal," Killian spat, "this is blackmail."

"A technicality, Captain." Pan said, voice bored. "Well?"

Killian nodded grimly, "But If you hurt her-"

"Be good then, Captain," Pan taunted, "and I'll have no reason to."

The deck went silent for a moment when Pan vanished before Baelfire pulled himself to his feet, spinning on Killian and pulling himself up to every inch his 16 years had given him.

"Why the hell did you bring her here?" he seethed. Killian winced but Baelfire didn't give him a moment to answer, stalking across the deck and disappearing below, slamming the hatch loudly behind him.

He didn't have an answer anyway.

* * *

Their first excursion was for cupcakes.

Baelfire had hardly spoken a word to Killian since Charlotte was taken but he worked as efficiently as ever, the skills he'd learned as a child no longer hampered by the short reach of his arm. Because if they succeeded, Charlotte will be returned to them for a period of two hours.

Two _hours_. Killian almost snapped a reply to that but he bit his tongue and brought back what the demon wanted. When the cargo is delivered, a map appeared hovering in the air in front of them.

"Wait here, Bae," Killian said, "it could be a trap."

"Not a chance," was the instant retort.

"Bae-"

"Unless you plan on knocking me out and leaving me here-" Bae offered sarcastically, and when Killian didn't reply Bae nodded. "Let's go then."

They found Charlotte on a secluded beach curled up on the sand looking for all the world like she'd tired herself out playing on the seashore. Baelfire dropped beside her and shook her gently, calling her name. Her eyes flickered open and she grinned up at them.

"Morning Bae- Papa-" she let out a yawn and Bae hugged her too tight but if she noticed anything out of the ordinary she didn't mention it. They spend a precious two hours playing in the shallows, gathering sea shells and building castles in the sand. As their time drew to a close she began to yawn again, crawling into Killian's lap where he sat in the sand, leaning back on one hand, his left arm closing tightly around her. When the two hours is up she is sleeping soundly against his chest, and tears stream unchecked down his face.

"It's not your fault," Baelfire said finally, his eyes locked on the ground as he fiddled with the collection of sea shells Charlotte had brought him from all along the beach.

Killian looked away. Without a free hand to even attempt to hide his tears he justs holds Charlotte closer. "It is, Bae. I knew what this place was, the dangers it held. I thought I could protect her, protect you both. But now she's under the demon's power and you're no less trapped here than you were before I arrived. I'm sorry Baelfire."

"At least we're together. And he can't hurt her," Baelfire said confidently, "he knows if he does we'll never run another supply run for him."

Killian nodded and shifted, moving to stand. He lifted Charlotte with him and a familiar laugh sent a chill up his spine.

"Going somewhere, Captain?"

Killian turned, his arms tightening around Charlotte. "Let me take her back to the ship?" Killian asked, "You know we can't run, not while she is bespelled. Let her come home with her family."

"Afraid I can't allow that," Pan said with a shrug and suddenly Charlotte was gone from his arms and he near stumbled at the loss. Killian started forward a flare of anger in his eyes.

" _Careful_ ," Pan warned, voice stern. "She reminds me of someone, you know" he commented as Killian clenched his fist, trying to reign in his anger. "Ah, I know. She's the spitting image of your brother, isn't she? Something in the hair, and the eyes... Had you noticed that?" Killian stiffened and Pan grinned. "Remember what happened the last time you didn't listen to me, _Lieutenant_."

Pan vanished and Bae reached for Killian's arm. "Come on, let's go home."

* * *

It becomes difficult to keep track of time after that. Time didn't pass in Neverland and time passed differently in other realms to which they were sent. For cakes or magical items or information, it was always different. If the job was well done, he and Bae would be permitted to see Charlotte for a few hours for part of an afternoon. She woke up cheerful as ever each time, never realizing that as the weeks passed for her, _decades_ passed for Killian and Bae. They never mention the stasis spell to her. They'd agreed long ago that their time with her was far to precious to waste in anything but making her smile.

They tried to escape only once, with a sleeping Charlotte hidden below deck, hoping that they could find _someone_ outside of Neverland with the power to wake her. Before they could escape Pan's shadow intercepted the ship and dragged Charlotte away again. Pan's fury was terrible to behold and in retribution it is decades before he wakes Charlotte again.

The time apart from her drives Killian to desperation. Somehow in those decades something shifted, the lines he had not wanted to cross beginning to blur in his desperation to appease Pan's anger and finally see his little girl again. Captain Hook became a name spoken of in whispers, the only mark of his passing a missing cargo and the bodies left in his wake. Nothing mattered but getting what Pan wanted and maybe… _maybe_ seeing Charlotte's eyes once more. Pan's anger did not abate until the day Killian left the body of a man who begged only to get back to his son at the bottom of a ravine. This seemed to amuse the demon and Charlotte wakes again, his guilt is forgotten in the smile of his daughter, not to be thought of again for decades still to come.

* * *

Baelfire scratches one more mark into the wall of his cave, the little place he's carved out for himself on the island for the times he just needs to get away. The first few times Bae snuck off the ship to come here to this place Killian near dragged him back to the Jolly Roger kicking and screaming but the third time Bae finally cracked, yelling: "I'm not a bloody child," loud enough that Killian was certain Pan could hear it wherever the hell he was. And he wasn't. He looked 16, as he had the day he came to this island, but he'd lived every day, every decade on this island too.

Killian wasn't sure he'd ever be able to not see Bae as a lad in need of protection, (especially when he still _looked_ like a lad in need of protection) but after that they come to an agreement. So long as Bae warns him that he means to leave and does not stay out for more than one change of the watch, Killian won't send out a search party.

He was about to return to the ship when a glowing map settled on the ground in front of him, Pan's cue that he was allowing them to visit Charlotte. It was the first time the map has ever found him away from Killian and the Jolly Roger and a voice in his head, that sounds suspiciously like Killian, warns him it's a trap. He picks it up tentatively and begins to follow.

When he reached the marked location Charlotte wasn't there. Pan was. Baelfire's hand goes to his cutlass without thinking but Pan just laughs.

"I'm not going to hurt you, in fact I'm here to offer you a deal."

"Really?" Bae asked suspiciously.

"A way off this island."

Bae gaped at him for a moment, "Why would you let me do that."

"I've recently come across some interesting information. As it turns out the boy I'm searching for will never come to Neverland unless _you_ are allowed to leave. So here's your chance. No catch. My shadow is prepared to take you right now, away from Neverland, all you have to do is agree not to come back."

"Killian and Charlotte?"

"They're not part of the deal. You see unless you go alone, I don't get what I need."

"I'm not leaving my family," Bae said stubbornly.

"I could just order my shadow to take you away," Pan warned.

"And how will you ensure I won't come back?" Bae spat.

"I was afraid you would say that," Pan said with a resigned sigh that didn't match the amusement in his eyes. "It's really a pity because Captain Hook is so very useful…" The world went dark for a moment and Bae found himself by the seashore where they usually were allowed to see Charlotte when she was awake. He can see Killian on the beach below playing with his little sister in the surf and he realizes he must not have been the only one to get a map today. But Killian's apparently _had_ taken him to Charlotte.

Suddenly vines began to creep up his legs, tying him fast to the tree behind him He tried to call out to Killian, for help, or to warn him he wasn't entirely certain, but when he opened his mouth no sound would come. His eyes widened in horror as Pan's shadow flew towards the beach. Without warning the shadow dove for Charlotte lifting her out of the shallows and carrying her out, flying low over the sea further and further- Baelfire's cry was trapped by magic but Killian's was not. He rushed his way deeper into the water but kept his eyes locked on the shadow and its captive.

"Oh dear," Pan taunted, "he really should know better than to swim with mermaids."

Suddenly there was a piercing scream as the shadow dropped Charlotte into the sea. Killian dove after her, fighting his way past the break line to where she is struggling to keep herself afloat in the strong current.

Bae could hear Killian's desperate cries of her name, sometimes cut off abruptly when a wave overtakes him for a moment. Then suddenly Charlotte is gone, vanished in an instant as though something had pulled her below. Killian dove too, his head vanishing beneath the waves in a desperate search for her.

Baelfire tried to speak, tried to plead with Pan to let them go, to just _save_ _them_ but he can't speak, can't yell, can't _breathe_. It's as though he's trapped under the surface with them. His eyes remain locked on the waves long after he knows they must be gone, just hoping that maybe, _just maybe-_

They don't come up.

Tears are coursing down his cheeks now and if he weren't tied to a tree he wasn't entirely certain if he would attack Pan on the spot or just collapse sobbing to the jungle floor. The vines trapping him come lose and he got the answer to his question when his legs collapsed from under him. He can barely see straight for the tears in his eyes and when the shadow finally comes to take him to the land without magic, he doesn't even resist.

* * *

Three watches.

Baelfire had been gone for three watches.

He promised, he _swore_ after the last time he wouldn't be gone longer than one.

Killian was pacing a groove into the deck of his ship and had been for the past two watches. Bae wasn't on the ship, and he wasn't in his cave. So where the bloody hell _was_ he. His overactive imagination had been offering him images of dark tendrils creeping up Bae's skin, reaching for his heart, somewhere alone on that island.

He wasn't truly surprised when Pan landed on the deck of his ship and he studied the demon's face for a moment, trying to read what he wanted to know in his face. The smug smile tugging at the corner of his lip chilled Killian to the bone.

"Where is he."

"The land without magic," Pan replied, voice calm but a spark of amusement in his eyes. Killian stared, uncomprehending for a moment.

"How?"

"I sent him there, of course. You know the boy I'm seeking, Captain, it turns out that your Baelfire is... Shall we say, instrumental to his coming here.

"He left," Killian asked quietly, his mind torn between relief and apprehension.

"Stubborn boy," Pan said flippantly, "I had to make him think you and Charlotte were dead first, but that broke his resistance pretty quickly." Killian felt as though the deck had fallen out from under him. He shook his head in horror, words trapped by the lump in his throat. "You should have seen him," Pan taunted, "Just a little lost boy left all alone."

There was a time that Killian would have thrown himself across the deck then, but that was before Charlotte. Instead he clenched his hand behind his back until his fingernails drew blood, using the pain to focus himself. To ground himself. Pan must have been disappointed by the lack of response because he did not linger.

Small favors.

Killian ensured the door to his cabin was locked before he systematically destroyed everything that was not bolted to the ground.

* * *

 **Well to absolutely no one's surprise this is turning out a little longer than I expected. So I thought I'd post a little shorter chapter to tide you over.**

 **Poor Killian is still trapped in Neverland with Charlotte but Bae is now exiled to the world without magic thinking that magic has taken his only family (Again) because creepy Pan wants his Kid's heart! Fricken Pan!**

 **Let me know what you think! I know writing Killian heavy pre-CS is not most of the fandoms' cup of tea so drop by and let me know you're still reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Previously, because it's been forever!:_**

 _"Where is he."_

 _"The land without magic," Pan replied, voice calm but a spark of amusement in his eyes. Killian stared, uncomprehending for a moment._

 _"How?"_

 _"I sent him there, of course. You know the boy I'm seeking, Captain, it turns out that your Baelfire is... Shall we say, instrumental to his coming here._

 _"He left," Killian asked quietly, his mind torn between relief and apprehension._

 _"Stubborn boy," Pan said flippantly, "I had to make him think you and Charlotte were dead first, but that broke his resistance pretty quickly." Killian felt as though the deck had fallen out from under him. He shook his head in horror, words trapped by the lump in his throat. "You should have seen him," Pan taunted, "Just a little lost boy left all alone."_

 _There was a time that Killian would have thrown himself across the deck then, but that was before Charlotte. Instead he clenched his hand behind his back until his fingernails drew blood, using the pain to focus himself. To ground himself. Pan must have been disappointed by the lack of response because he did not linger._

 _Small favors._

 _Killian ensured the door to his cabin was locked before he systematically destroyed everything that was not bolted to the ground._

* * *

The next time Killian was permitted to see Charlotte he very nearly dreaded it. He agonized over how to tell her that Bae was gone. He knew he couldn't hide it from her forever but when she smiled up at him and asked him where Bae was the wound was still too raw. In the end he told her that Pan had sent Bae on some unspecified errand and for now she seemed to accept it.

He wanted nothing more than to throttle the demon child of Neverland; instead he played the good soldier. And he waited. Because he only needed Pan to make one mistake. To get sloppy just once. To presume Killian wasn't listening when he always was. To let Killian just a little too close to the source of his magic. To leave Charlotte awake just a few hours too long.

He learns to keep his emotions even more tightly in check then he had in years. Liam would have been proud.

No, Liam would have been furious. But he would have kept his temper in check as well. For the first time Killian understood how his brother had been able to tolerate so much when they were young. He'd done it for Killian, as Killian now did for Charlotte. He wished he could tell Liam that he understands now.

The day Pan finally made a mistake Killian was ready.

He ripped off his own shadow to give the sails of the Jolly Roger the power to cross realms. Before Pan knew he was gone the ship was airborne and on its way to the world without magic. Or at least that was the plan. But with no charts or magic to guide him he realized quickly that he had no way to find the world without magic. When they touched down again it was back in the Enchanted Forest and without the very one he had left his home to save. Centuries later and not a single step closer to getting Baelfire back than he was the day the Blue Fairy gave him a magic bean and warned him that this trip would be its own 'price.'

The blue fairy was right.

The price was in Charlotte's tears when he finally had to admit to her that Bae didn't come back with them. That Bae is in the world without magic and they cannot reach him. Again. It was in the tremor in her voice when she looked up at him and asked why things looked so different the first time they make port. It was in the nervousness of his own voice when he has to tell his eight year old daughter who has slept through centuries that it's been a little longer than she remembers.

So he sought out magic again. Hesitantly, and carefully and keeping Charlotte as far away from it as he could possibly manage.

It was not long before the rumors began to circulate of a coming curse and while the rest of the realm teeters on the verge of panic, Killian recognized that if he could only preserve his memories, this curse might take him precisely where he needed to go. But after Neverland he didn't want Charlotte within sight of magic. She'd be safer that way, he reasoned.

And he truly believed that.

He met Cora Mills peeking through a looking glass he'd acquired in the hopes that it would let him see Baelfire.

Cora agreed to protect him and those who sailed with him from the curse, and take him to the world without magic if he would just follow a few simple instructions to free her from the mirror her daughter had trapped her inside.

She created a bubble, an oasis trapping and protecting herself and Hook and a small area of the enchanted forest from the curse and it wasn't until the smoke was rolling across the landscape that he realized she had not quite kept her word. Charlotte was not in the protected region.

By the time he realized this critical piece of information it was too late. The smoke overcame their oasis and in the blink of an eye 28 years had passed and Charlotte was gone. It was only two centuries of practice hiding his rage from Pan that kept him from putting his hook through Cora's chest, consequences be damned.

"Relax captain, she won't remember the past 28 years any more than you do."

"That was not our agreement," Killian commented, his tone a carefully practiced calmness. Because he still needed the witch. To get to Storybrooke. To get back to Charlotte. To get back to both of them.

"I don't like travelling with children," Cora retorted. " And at least she's unlikely to come across any ogres in Storybrooke."

With nothing left to lose, that was the day that Captain Hook finally came out to play. There was no price too steep, no darkness he would not indulge to keep Cora happy, to get to Storybrooke. To get back to his children. And once they were back in storybrooke, then Cora would pay for her betrayal with his own.

His chance came sooner than he expected in the guise of a fiery lass with the sun in her hair and a blade at his throat. She dragged him from a pile of corpses and offered him all he ever wanted. The chance to get to Storybrooke and hurt Cora all in one tentative alliance.

But Captain Hook had been betrayed and manipulated too many times to risk letting Emma Swan see past the vengeful mask and it wasn't until he was cuffed at the top of a beanstalk that he realized he may have underestimated her defences.

It took the heart of a princess to buy his way back into Cora's good graces, but he couldn't seem to regret it when he was finally, _finally_ sailing into Storybrooke.

When he couldn't find either Charlotte or Baelfire among the town's residents he took the only path he could yet see. Vengeance against the one who destroyed everything. But with magic returned to the town the crocodile was immortal once more. Immortal but with only one chink in his armor.

It was one more thing which he could not manage to regret when Belle stumbled over the town line, her memories of the monster lost with the blood on the street.

* * *

"You're awfully chipper for a guy who just failed to kill his enemy, then got hit by a car," Emma commented, glaring down at the pirate chained to the hospital bed.

"Well, my ribs may be broken, but… Everything else is still intact. Which is more than can be said for other bad days I've had. Plus, I did some quality damage to my foe."

"You hurt Belle." Emma retorted, indignation plain in her voice.

"I hurt his heart. Belle's just where he keeps it. He killed my love. I know the feeling."

"Keep smiling, buddy. You're chained down, he's on his feet, immortal, has magic, and you hurt his girl. If I were to pick dead guy of the year? I'd pick you."

"Some things are worse than death," he slured and Emma glanced up at the nurse who had clearly just increased his pain medication. Emma raised her eyebrows as he fell back into the bed, eyes heavy under the influence of the drugs.

"Are you going to try and kill him again?" Emma asked. She wasn't entirely certain if it was strictly legal to question someone while they were doped up on pain meds but somehow she didn't think the standard rules applied when you were interrogating Captain Hook.

"What the devil else am I supposed to do?"

"Get on that ship and leave Storybrooke before I have to lock you in a cell."

"Can't leave," he murmured, eyes closed but still fighting to stay awake.

"Why not?" Emma retorted.

"Because this town is the only clue I have."

"Clue? Clue to what? What are you looking for?"

"My children."

Emma gapped at him, half convinced she'd heard wrong, half convinced the drugs were making him spout nonsense. "What do you mean children?"

"Children, Swan, small humans." He giggled, actually giggled, and Emma cursed the meds. They made him chatty, but possibly this was all nonsense.

"Captain Hook has kids?" Emma asked doubtfully.

His opened his eyes a bit. His eyelids drooped under the weight of the meds but he looked her in the eye intently.

"I was supposed to look after them."

"Tell me about them?" Emma asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"He's got his mother's eyes. Not the color… the fire. He's probably not so little anymore, lost him a long time ago." He struggled to sit up, to speak clearly but his words slurred and he fell back into the bed. "And Charlotte" he murmured "my Charlotte, she has Liam's hair." His smile was dopey and he looked up at her again. "My pirate princess-"

Emma sighed. Who knew, Killian Jones was a sentimental drunk. But 'Liam's hair' was not exactly something she could put on a missing persons report. "Killian can you describe her for me?" she asked again, but he'd fallen limp on the bed, the drugs finally pulling him under.

She learned over the next few days that Killian had two speeds. Sober enough to clam up and give her nothing at all useful or drug addled enough to ramble about his pirate princess in enough metaphor and flowery language so as to give her nothing at all useful.

So she got creative. She broke onto his ship. ( Is it really breaking and entering if there was no lock? Emma didn't think so.) She rummaged until she found two charcoal drawings, one of a little boy the other a little girl. She took both to the blue fairy who looked at her intently for far longer than Emma would like.

"Do you know who they are or not?" Emma finally snapped.

"Baelfire is not in StoryBrooke," the blue fairy started carefully.

"And the girl? Charlotte?"

"Are you sure about this, Emma?" The blue fairy replied instead, "Can he be trusted? I trusted him once but that man may be gone-"

"Tell me where she is."

* * *

False hope is worse than none. That's what she told herself when the little girl asked her if Emma knew where her papa was. She didn't answer, saying only that she needed her to identify someone she had in custody because she might know him.

They barely made it through the door before the girl was sprinting across the room and leaping onto the bed, calling for her papa at the top of her lungs. Emma winced and almost warned the girl of her father's broken ribs but before she could Hook woke with a start, his eyes widening and filling with tears as he crushed her even closer.

"Charlotte?" he murmured softly and Emma almost felt like she should leave the room. The moment felt too intimate for the eyes of strangers. He pulled away a bit, frantically looking her over, "Are you hurt, darling, Are you alright?"

It was only when he brushed the little girls curls from her eyes that Emma realized that he'd managed to slip off the handcuff (Again. Right in front of her.)

"I'm fine papa," Charlotte sniffed, "You have boo boos." She kissed his purple cheek and he clutched her close again, tears streaming openly down his face. It was only then that he sees Emma standing awkwardly in the doorway.

"You found her?" he asked, voice shaky.

"I'm good at finding people," she replied quietly.

"Thank you. Swan, thank you."

She smiled slightly, amazed at this side of the man she'd thought all innuendo and stubborn anger.

"You going to help me find Cora now?" she teased gently.

"With bloody pleasure."

* * *

He helped her find Cora and in return she made a deal with Gold: to help him find his son, in exchange for his promise not to go after Killian or his daughter. Killian had warned her not to mention him, or Charlotte to Bae, warned her that he likely wouldn't believe her as he thought they'd both died years ago. Better for him to see for himself when he returned to StoryBrooke.

It wasn't until she reached New York, though, that she realized Baelfire, Gold's son and Killian's step son (more or less) was the same man as Neal Cassidy.

He was engaged now and she wanted to hate him, she wanted to hate him desperately but she couldn't . Not with the echo of Killian's stories in her ear. He agrees to return to StoryBrooke for Henry's sake and her fury cools. Perhaps that's all she really wanted from him now anyway.

When they returned to town Emma just barely managed to convince Neal to come with her to Granny's. Telling him there was someone he needed to see. When she opened the door Charlotte was drawing on the floor, Killian next to her and Neal went so pale she thought he might collapse. She shut the door behind him and he stayed frozen, leaning against the door for a moment, eyes wide and disbelieving.

"Charlotte?" he managed hoarsely. The girl looked up, her eyes confused for a moment as they take in their visitor. Then her eyes widen too and she shot to her feet, scattering paper and colored pencils everywhere.

"Bae!" She cried, charging him with the force of a very tiny bull and knocking him back into the door when he squatted to hug her.

"Charlotte…" he looked up past the girl to meet Killian's gaze. "How is this- How is this possible? I… I watched you drown. Both of you."

"A trick," Killian said, "I'm sorry it took me so long, Bae."

"Hey Baelfire?" A small voice interrupted and he looked down at the little girl.

"Yeah, Kid?"

"You got really old."

"Nah. I didn't." Neal retorted "I'm the same age I've always been. You're just aging backward."

"I am not!" Charlotte grumbled.

"Are to. You were sixteen yesterday."

Charlotte's face screwed up in confusion for a moment and looked to Killian "Papa?"

"Don't antagonize your sister, Bae," Killian chastised, an old habit that felt suddenly out of place here and now with the lad grown. There was silence for a moment as they both floundered for their respective roles but finally Bae chuckled and ruffled Charlotte's hair affectionately, "Just teasing, runt."

He sank into the chair next to Killian, still watching Charlotte as she went back to her drawing contentedly. Her papers took up far too much of the aisle while she worked, but she'd captured Granny's heart within two days and no one said a word about it.

"She has barely aged a day," Bae murmured under his breath, then glanced at Killian, "neither have you."

"Seven weeks." Killian replied quietly.

"What?"

"It was seven weeks after we escaped Neverland that the curse brought her here. Another 28 years, frozen. But you-"

"Yeah, 'I got old.' "

"I'm sorry, Bae," Killian repeated. "I'm sorry I missed… I missed everything. Tell me. Tell me what I've missed."

Bae looked down, looking suddenly abashed then glanced over at Henry who was drinking hot chocolate with his mother at the bar. "I've ruined everything," he said quietly. Killian's eyebrows furrowed but he didn't reply, waiting for him to continue.

"Emma and I, I thought we had a good thing. But she had a destiny intertwined with magic. Magic stole my mother from me, my sister, my…" He trailed off, a lump in his throat. "I ran. I left her… them…"

Killian's eyes widened in realization and followed his gaze to Henry.

"I don't know if she'll ever forgive me," Neal continued.

"You came back," Killian offered.

"She found me. It's not the same."

"What is it you want from her?"

Bae glanced over at the counter again. "I just want to get to know my kid, you know. Be here, like I should have been all along."

The bell over the front door of Granny's tinkled merrily and they both looked over. Rumplestiltskin walked in, his eyes fixed on Bae. Killian stiffened and moved to stand but Bae reached out and placed his hand on Killian's knee. There was a peculiar look in his eyes now that Killian had not seen when he entered the diner. An echo of the fiery brave boy that Killian had once known.

"I got this-" he muttered, pushing himself to his feet. "Emma said he wants to 'get to know me.' Maybe I have some conditions of my own."

"Be careful," Killian replied, never taking his eyes off Rumplestiltskin. Gold's eyes bored into Killian's with a venom that left little doubt about what the man thought of seeing his son with the pirate.

Bae stalked up to Rumplestiltskin, a firmness in his spine he'd not felt in many years. "Out," he ordered, nodding at the door behind him. Admittedly, he was somewhat surprised when the order was obeyed without question.

"Son-" Gold started, but Bae cut him off.

"What do you want?"

"A chance, one more chance to-"

"Do you still have your magic?"

"Yes, Bae, but I need it to protect-"

"Save your excuses, it's my turn to talk." Rumplestiltskin nodded. "You don't touch them. Any of them. Emma, Henry, Charlotte and Killian in particular, they are now your personal responsibility. If anything happens to them, and I don't care how blameless you look, if anything happens to them I will never speak to you again, understand?"

"I do," Rumplestiltskin nodded.

"And now I'm going to go back inside and you're going to get the hell out of my sight for at least a week."

Rumplestiltskin nodded again and Bae turned his back on him. Maybe this would work out after all.

When he re-entered the diner Killian was stiff, his hand on his blade and looking as though it caused him physical pain to not leap from his chair. He relaxed visibly when Bae came back inside and sank down next to him.

"You alright, lad?"

"I'm hardly a lad anymore. Haven't been for about 200 years now." Killian shrugged, not arguing the point but not conceding either. Bae figured it was a fight he was unlikely to win anytime soon.

* * *

Baelfire stayed.

A centuries old feud dried up because Gold wasn't willing to risk his shaky relationship with Baelfire and Killian wouldn't risk Charlotte. Bae's relationship with Emma was chilly, but he grew closer to Henry every day, the kid easily accepting him as one more awkward branch on the increasingly complicated family tree.

Things were made all the more awkward when Killian Jones finally realized he was falling head over heels for the woman that Baelfire had a child with. But the awkwardness passed in time.

Killian and Charlotte finally move out to a house by the water with a white picket fence and too many bedrooms; near enough to the docks that they can see the Jolly Roger from the kitchen window.

"Why so many extra bedrooms?" Emma teased and Killian winked at her.

"For someday."

Someday came only a few months later when he finally worked up the nerve to ask Emma to move in with them.

They still had too many bedrooms.

For someday.

* * *

 **I have so many headcanons about this world and how little Charlotte adapts to Storybrooke etc, but I also have a three month old now... so realistically I'm going to put my nice implied cs happily ever after bow on this and call it a day**! **Because I still hate leaving things unfinished!**


End file.
